Proverbs 13:4

The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about being diligent vs being lazy:

Proverbs 13:4

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,

while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

Proverbs 13:7-8

One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;

another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

The ransom of a man's life is his wealth,

but a poor man hears no threat.

Proverbs 13:11

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle,

but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

Proverbs 13:18

Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction,

but whoever heeds reproof is honored.

Proverbs 13:22

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children,

but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.

Do you see a pattern in Solomon's wisdom centered on money and wealth?  Solomon had plenty of it.  He knew what it was like to be wealthy.  He was, perhaps, during his day, one of the most wealthiest people on the planet.  It is simple to see that those who are wise acquire wealth in the right way and use it in the right manner.  Those who pretend to be rich for the sake of being seen as special because of wealth will have no better end than the poor man.  People today like to show off their wealth (what little they have) and like to look wealthy.  It is, in our society, a measurement we use to define success.  In God's wisdom wealth is nothing without wisdom to know what to do with it.  Using it to honor God and others is the end of wisdom. That is how God wants us to handle money ... with wisdom.  That means we won't use it as a tool to promote ourselves, but as a tool to serve God and others.  

Wanting something really, really badly is a national past time.   Everyone wants.   In fact, everyone “really” wants.   But, wanting doesn't produce anything.   Having a desire for something doesn't bring about anything.   Desire is necessary before you can accomplish something but desire alone is not going to accomplish anything.    The above proverb outlines what happens when a craving is in the heart of the sluggard. Those who are lazy can want all they want, but that is all they have, a craving.   The converse of the sluggard is the diligent.  When a person is diligent and full of work ethic their desires come to fruition.   The diligent don't just crave, they actually get "fat."   It is only through faith that we can be "diligent" and productive.   The lazy want.  The lazy dream.   The lazy imagine.    It is the diligent (those who plan hard and work hard) that eat the lunch of the sluggard and are made fat.   Are you a dreamer or a doer?  Wisdom is at the core of the diligent.   Folly is at the core of the sluggard.  Since it is the fear of the Lord that produces wisdom and wisdom produces diligence, diligence comes from fearing the Lord.  That is Solomon’s instruction in this proverb (and all the proverbs).  We can’t lose sight of what he is trying to teach us.  Hard work and the ethics to be diligent come from the soul of the wise person.  The sluggard does not fear the Lord and therefore is not wise.  They therefore sit all day and dream.  The diligent fears the Lord and makes the dream happen.